Packaging systems that blow, fill, and seal containers such as thermoplastic bottles enjoy widespread commercial acceptance through ease of operation and reduced labor costs. A container or bottle of this type is formed of thermoplastic material, filled with the desired substance, and then sealed in one continuous operation as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,976 to Weiler et al. Generally, the container is sealed by a pierceable membrane which is unitary with an opening defined by the throat or neck portion of such container. Such a packaging system obviates the need for costly auxiliary equipment to clean and handle empty containers, fill the containers, and seal the containers. The system is particularly desirable where a sterilized fluid is to be sealed within a container and thereafter maintained in a sterile condition.
However, some means must be provided to pierce the membrane and obtain access to the contents within the container. Access to the contents is presently accomplished by first piercing the membrane with a suitable instrument such as a knife or the like so as to provide access to the container contents and then securing a cap with a dispensing nozzle over the neck portion to allow dispensing of the container contents. This means, however, is undesirable in medical applications and, particularly, in emergency medical applications where time is of the essence since the present means is a two-step process. Moreover, this means is undesirable because the membrane may often times be pierced with a non-sterile instrument thus increasing the likelihood that the sterile contents of such container may be contaminated.
It would be desirable if the membrane could be pierced with a sterile instrument substantially concurrently with the securement of the cap to the container. Also, it would be desirable to provide a container closure to seal the dispensing nozzle after the membrane has been pierced. The present invention meets these desires.